Coin-controlled lock



May 8, 1928.

E. NELSON ET AL COIN CONTROLLED LOCK Original Filed Jan. 5. 1921 1./ a 4 6 6M 4 4 M a w z 4 U 4 Y 6 /6 ,4. 44 a wf. 4 J 4 6 4 4 4 ,6, NT4 s.

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I6' IZ l l I l l l l Patented May 8, 1928.

UNITI-:nv STATES .PATENT oFFlcE.

EDWARD NELSON, or nvnnnrr, AND GEORGE I. HIGGINS, or MELROSE, MASSACHU- l snr'rs; SAID NELSON AssIGNon To SAID HIGGINS.

COIN-CONTROLLED LOCK.

Application 'led `J'anuary 5, 1921, Serial No. 435,140. Renewed September 80, 1927.

The present invention relates to check or. coin controlled locks and more particularlyv to coin controlled locks of the type that are adapted for use on the doors oi cabinets.

The object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved coin controlledlock which issimple and durable in construction, .and certain and reliable in operation.

The several features `of the present invention will be clearly understood from the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a door and a door frame with a coin controlled lock applied thereto embodying the features of the invention in their preferred form, with the parts ol the lock shown in locked position; and Fig. 2 is a similar View but with the parts of the lock shown in a position which they assume following thev insertion of a coin; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 with a portion of the front wall oit' the door broken away; Fig. i is a View similar to Fig. 3 but with the parts of the lock shown in full lines in the same position as shown in Fig. 2 and by dotted lines in unlocked position; and Fig. 5 is; a horizontal sectional View taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

The present embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings as applied to a door 2 which is hinged at 4 on a frame 6. The door is provided with 'front and rear walls 8 and 10, respectively, which are constructed and arranged. to provide a space between them, in which are mounted the operating parts of the illustrated lock. These parts comprise a pair of locking bolts 12 which are arranged adjacent opposite longitudinal edges of a horizontal plunger 14 and are slidable into and out of engagement with locking slots 15 in the door frame. rlhe bolts and plungerrare made of sheet metal and are located in the same vertical plane. lfVhen the bolts are in locked position as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, they are securely held from longitudinal movement by stop shoulders 1G formed thereon that are arranged at opposite sides of stop pins 18 secured to the front and rear Walls of the door.

` The iorwardportion of the inner edges of the bolts engage bars 20 secured to the front or rear wall of the door, and the ends of inwardly extending arms 22 lormed on the rear portion oi the bolts engage the opposite longitudinal edges of the coin actuating plunger 14, the bolts being held in engagement with the bars 20 and the plunger 14 by means of leaf springs 24 having one end engaging' the outer longitudinal edges of the bolts andtheir other end secured to a wall of` the door. i

The plunger 14 is guided at its forward end by a pair of bars 26 secured to the front or rear wall of the door and spaced to engage the longitudinal edges 07E the plunger, and the rear end of the plunger is guided by a knob 2S secured thereto which extends through an elongated slot 3() in the forward wall of the door. The forward wall of the door is provided with a circular aperture 32 to permit the insertion oi' a coin between the guide bars 26 and adjacent the forward end of the plunger 14 which is shaped to lit the edge oi? the coin.

Vhen no coin'is inserted in the device and the bolts are locked, the forward movement of the plunger 14: is limited by engagement with the inner longitudinal edges of stop arms 36 projecting inwardly from the forward portions of the bolts, so that the locked condition of the bolts will not be thereby affected. To unlock the bolts, the operator inserts a coin in the aperture 32 and then by means of the knob 28 moves the plunger 14l forwardly to the limit of its movement, and during this movement of the plunger the edge of the coin engages inclined sun faces 38 formed on the ends of the stop arms 36 which swings the forward ends of the arms outwardly to permit the coin and the plunger 14 to pass between the stop arms. This forward movement of the plunger 14 past the stop arms 36 is limited by the engagement of theknob 28 with the forward end wall ot' `the slot 30. When the plunger has thus reached the limit of its forward movement, transverse slots 40 formed on its longitudinal edges are positioned to register with the ends of the arms 22, whereupon the arms 22 are caused to engage the slots 40 by thegaction of the springs 24, the rear ends ioo of the locking bolts l2 being thereby carried downwardly to the position shown in lull lines in F ig. t to position the forward locking shoulders 1G so that the stop pins 1S are out of the path of said shoulders. The bolts 12 being thus connected with the plunger letthe operator moves the plunger rearwardly carrying the bolts therewith out oi engagement with the door iframe, the shoulders 1G passing by the stop pins 18. rl`his movement of the bolts and plunger is limited by the engagement oi shoulders l2 formed on the outer longitudinal edges o t` the bolts with the stop pins 18, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. l.

To re-loclr the device, the operator, after the door is closed, returns the plunger and bolts to their advanced position, as shown in full lines in Fig. Il, the i'orward ends of the bolts being thereby positioned in the locking slots l5 in the door traine, and the space between each pair of stop shoulders 16 being positionedin alinement with the stop pins i8. The operatorthen swings the rear ends ol the bolts outwardly to disengage the arms 22 :trom the slots et) which permits the plunger to be moved rearwardly to carry the slots fl() out of register with the arms 22, so that upon releasing the reai ends of the bolts, the bolts will be locked in position. To thus swing the rear ends of the bolts outwardly, the rear ends ol: the bolts are provided with apertures 44; into which suitable tools may be inserted tor this purpose, the 'forward wall oi" the casing being provided with slots 4o to permit the insertion ot the tools in the apertures.

It will be noted that the parts of the pre feried construction ot the lock above described are arranged symmetrically at opposite sides of the coin actuating plunger so that, by inverting the door to which a lock is applied, the door may be hinged to swing either to the right or lett. lt will, therefore, be apparent that the illustrated lock is particularly adapted to be used on cabinets in which two series oi doors are arranged at opposite sides of a single coin chute leading to a coin receptacle near the bottom oit the cabinet, one series ol' doors being hinged to swing to the right and the other to the lett. The construction of the lock as above described enables tlie doors o'l' both series to be of the same construction.

It will also be noted that in the lock above described, the locking bolts engage the door trame close to'a-nd at opposite sides of the path of the coin and thus hold this portion o the door rigidly in position and prevent it from being sprung away from the frame to allowA the coin to be removed before passing through the coin chute.

While it is preferred to employ the specific construction and arrangement ot parts illustrated and described, it is to be understood that this construction and arrangement is not essential except so 'lai as specified in the claims, and may be changed or modiiied without departing from the broader features of the invention.

The nature and scope of the present invention having been indicated and a device embodying the several features of the invention in their preferred form having been specifically described,

What is claimed is 1. A coin controlled lock having, in coinbination, a bolt movable into and out of 'locking position, and means for locking the bolt in locking position and for releasing and withdrawing the bolt from locking position, comprisin a coin actuating plunger, a stop for limiting the movement of the plunger in one direction when the bolt is locked, and means cooperating with a coin during a movement of the plunger in said direction tor renderin the stop inetl'ective and 'for releasing the olt, and cooperating members on the bolt and lunger constructed and arranged to operatively engage when the bolt is released to eli'ect the withdrawal of the bolt from locking position during the i'novement of the plunger in the opposite direction.

2. A coin controlled lock having, in coinbination, a bolt movable into and out of locking position, and means for locking the bolt in locking position and for releasing and withdrawing the bolt comprising a` coin actuating plunger, and means cooperating with a coin during the movement of the plunger in one direction for releasing the bolt, and cooperating members on the bolt and plunger constructed and arranged to operatively engage when the bolt is released to ellect the withdrawal of the bolt during the movement of the plunger in the oppo site direction.

3. A coin controlled lock having, in com bination, a bolt, movable into and out of locking position, means for locking the bolt in locking position and for releasing and withdrawing the bolt comprising a coin actuating plunger, and means cooperating with a coin duiiiig the movement of the plunger in one `direction for releasing the bolt, and connections between the bolt and plunger for effecting the Withdrawal of the bolt during the movement of the plunger in the opposite direction when the bolt is released. i

a. A coin controlled lock having, in cOmbination, a bolt having an inclined surface thereon movable into and out of locking position, and means constructed and arranged for locking the bolt in lockingposition and for releasing the bolt to enable it to be withdrawn from locking position comprising a plunger movable in onedirection to bring a lli noemer coin into eng gement with said inclined surface to release the bolt. l f

5. A coin controlled lock having, incombination, a bolt movable into and out of locking position, and means for locking the bolt in locking position r and for releasing and withdrawing the bolt comprising a coin actuating plunger, and means comprising a member carried by lthe bolt adapted to be Vengaged by akcoin during a movement A.of the plunger iny one direction to cooperate with the coin to release the bolt, and connections between the bolt and plunger for` withdrawing the bolt yduring the movement of the plunger in `the opposite direction. (3. A coincontrolled lock having, in com# bination, a pair of bolts movable into and out or' locking position, and means for locking the bolts in locking position and for releasing the bolts to enable them to be withdrawn from locking position, comprising a coin actuating plunger, and means cooperating with a coin during the movement of the plunger in one direction for releasing the bolts to enable them to be withdrawn.

7. A coin controlled lock having, in combination, a pair of bolts movable into and out oi' locking position, means for locking the bolts inlocking position and for releasing and withdrawing the bolts from locking position comprising a coin actuating plunger, means cooperating with a coin during the movement of the plunger in one 4direction for releasing the bolts, and connections between the bolts and plunger for Withdrawing the bolts upon movement of theplunger in the opposite direction. i

8. A coin controlled lock having, in combination, a pair ot' bolts movable into and" out of locking position, and means for locking thebolts in locking position and for releasing and withdrawing the bolts com ris'- ing a coin actuating plunger interpose `between the bolts, means cooperating with a coin upon movement of the plunger in one direction tor releasing the bolts, and cooperating members on the bolts and plunger for withdrawing the bolts upon movement ot' the plunger in the opposite direction.

9. A coin controlled lock having, in comhination, a bolt movable into and out of locking position, means for locking the bolt in locking position and for releasing and witl'idrawing the bolt con'lprising a coin actuating plunger, cooperating members on the bolt and plunger arranged to engagev when the plunger is moved. in one direction to a definite position to retract the bolt upon movement ofthe plunger in the opposite direction, and a stop for preventing movement of the plunger to said position adapted to be rendered `ineffective by engagement with a coin-during movement of the plunger in the direction toward said position.

l0. A coin controlled lock having, in com coin therewith during movement of the plunger in said direction.

11, A coin controlled lock having, in combination, a bolt movable into and out of locking position, a .fixed stop and a cooperating stop shoulder on the bolt for locking the bolt in locking position, a coin actuating plunger provided with a slot, an arm on the boltA in sliding engagement with the plunger adapted to enter said slot to release the stop `shoulder from the fixed stop, when the plunger is moved in one direction to a definite position, a plunger stop for limiting the movement of the plunger in said direction to prevent the plunger from being moved to said definite position adapted to be released to permit the plunger to be moved to said definite position by engagement lwith aicoin during the movement of the plunger in said direct-ion.

l2.` A coin controlled lock having, in combination, a locking bolt, a. coin actuating plunger, and means controlled by a coin when actuatedbythe plunger in one direction for connecting the plunger and locking bolt to allow the locking bolt to be withdrawnby a movement of the plunger in the opposite direction. l

13. A coincontrolled lock having, in combination, a locking bolt, a coin actuating plunger, means to connect the locking bolt and plunger when the plunger reaches a certain position, and a stop to preventmovement of the plunger to such position operable by a coin actuated by the plunger to allow the plunger to move to such position.

let. A coin controlled lock having, in combination, a coin actuating plunger, a. locking bolt having a stop projection extending into the path of the plunger and a withdrawing projection bearing against a side of the plunger, the stop projection being arranged to be moved by acoin actuated by `the plunger and to be held out of stopping position by the plunger., and the withdrawing projection being arranged to engage a slot in the plunger and to be held in said slot by the engagement of the stopping projection with the plunger.

15. A door provided with a lock comprising a pair ot coin controlled locking bolts, and a coin` actuating plunger interposed between the bolts, the parts of the lock at oppositev sides of the plunger being arranged synnnetrically to v`permit the door to be hinged to swing either to the right or left and a. pair of locking bolts for engaging about zi vertical axis by inverting the door. the door frame close to and at opposite sides 16. A device of the class described havof the path of a 00in actuated by the 10 ing, in combination, a door, a.` door frame plunger.` 5 on which the door is hinged, and a coin con- Y trolled lock for locking the door to the door EDWARD NELSON. frame comprising a coin actuating plunger GEO. F. HIGGINS. 

